When Nian and Xuanye came out of the professor's office, Xuanye was calm and cheerful, walking happily. Nian, however, looked completely stunned, trailing behind like she'd just seen a ghost.
Xuanye glanced at her.
"Why do you look like that? Did you see a ghost or something?"
Nian shook her head and sighed.
"You're really brave, Xuanye. You even talked back to our professor. You only escaped because he was in a good mood—otherwise, you'd be finished."
Xuanye laughed.
"You're such a coward. Our professor isn't that strict, you know. Stop being so scared of him."
Nian stopped walking and looked at her seriously.
"You're right, Xuanye. Next time, if we get caught, I'll just say you're the professor's pet. Then I'll be the don and everyone will fear us!"
Xuanye smiled proudly and nodded, clearly not hearing what Nian had just said.
Nian walked away slowly, waiting for the moment Xuanye would realize.
A few seconds later, it hit her.
"Yah, Nian!!" Xuanye yelled.
Nian burst into laughter.
"You seriously need to get your ears checked! You'll get in trouble someday."
Xuanye playfully grabbed Nian's neck and pretended to strangle her.
"You're making fun of me again, huh?"
Nian tapped her hand and laughed.
"I'm not wrong. Even you know you can't hear well sometimes!"
Still laughing, Nian doubled over while Xuanye groaned.
"You're bold, Nian. Real bold."
Xuanye grabbed her ear in revenge.
"Ahhh! Xuanye! Let go!" Nian screamed dramatically.
Just then, a boy appeared in front of them.
Nian and Xuanye immediately straightened up. The boy waved at Nian with a smile.
Both girls awkwardly waved back.
"Yichen?" Nian asked, clearing her throat. "What are you doing here?"
Yichen smiled softly.
"I came to see you, Nian~"
Xuanye chuckled while Nian coughed nervously.
"W-Why?"
"I just… had something to talk about. Are you free right now?"
Nian looked at Xuanye with raised brows. Xuanye smirked and motioned for her to go.
Nian turned back.
"Yeah, I'm free. What did you want to talk about?"
"I have a doubt in some subjects," Yichen said casually. "So I thought I'd ask you."
Nian blinked in surprise.
"Oh. Uh… sure, you can ask."
Yichen smiled.
"Can we go somewhere else?"
Again, Nian looked at Xuanye in confusion.
Xuanye cleared her throat, stepped forward, and said to Yichen,
"You can ask your doubts to the professor. We just saw him — he's in his office."
Yichen's voice shook a little.
"N-No... I don't want to disturb him. Besides, Nian's a topper. It's easier to ask her."
Nian and Xuanye exchanged a look.
Xuanye narrowed her eyes.
"I'm a good student too, okay? In fact, I tutor her! How can you say that?"
Yichen gulped.
Nian smiled awkwardly.
"Don't take her seriously. She's just joking. I'll clear your doubts."
---
Suddenly, their professor appeared again.
"Nian! Xuanye!" he called out.
Their eyes widened in panic, and they turned slowly to face him.
"Why are you three still here?" he asked in a loud voice.
Nian froze, trembling. Xuanye, on the other hand, stepped up smoothly.
"Professor, Yichen had some doubts and came to ask if you were still in your office. We were just pointing him in the right direction."
She paused.
"We'll send Yichen to you. You can clear his doubts, sir! We'll leave now!"
Without waiting, Xuanye bolted down the corridor, leaving Nian behind.
Nian blinked at her escape, then turned with an awkward bow.
"T-Thank you, professor!" she stammered before running after her.
Yichen stood frozen in place, watching them flee, and scratched the back of his neck in disbelief.
The professor looked at him sharply.
"So? What doubts do you have?"
Yichen laughed nervously.
"I-I cleared them already, sir. I'll leave now!"
And he ran for his life.
The professor removed his glasses and shouted,
"If I see you three again, I'll make you do projects for months!"
Then he disappeared into his office.
---
Back in their dorm room, Nian and Xuanye collapsed onto the floor, catching their breath.
They looked at each other… and burst into laughter.
Nian wiped her eyes.
"You're really bold, Xuanye. I swear the professor's going to lose it. We shouldn't go near him for a while or we'll be buried in assignments."
Xuanye gulped.
"Yeah… especially me. I better stay invisible for a few days."
She sat beside Nian and leaned back.
Then she looked at her curiously.
"So… Yichen."
Nian raised an eyebrow.
"What about him?"
"Don't you think he likes you?" Xuanye asked.
"I see him waiting for you after class, buying you snacks. And he's a topper too — why would he need help with basic doubts?"
Nian gave her a look.
"I don't love him. He's just a friend. Don't get distracted by things like that."
She smiled to herself.
"I already have my bias — DK. He's enough for me."
Xuanye elbowed her.
"You're talking like he's your boyfriend, huh~"
Nian blushed, her smile as bright as the sun.
Xuanye tapped her shoulder.
"Alright, dreamy. Don't go crazy. We're going to the concert tomorrow, remember? We need to wake up early and reach the venue. Go sleep!"
Nian nodded happily. But then she noticed something.
"Wait. Are you already lying down? It's not even afternoon! We still have class!"
Xuanye peeked from under her blanket with a groggy look.
"Nian~~ I don't want to go. You go to class and tell them I'm having a fever, please."
Nian crossed her arms and raised an eyebrow.
"Hmm~ I could do that… but it's Professor Xi's class. The same professor who saw us loitering this morning."
She paused dramatically.
"If I tell him you're sick now, I don't even want to imagine his reaction."
Xuanye bolted upright.
"What?! Professor Xi?! I'm going, I'm going!"
She rushed past Nian and out the door like a flash.
Nian stood there, stunned.
Then she chuckled and shook her head.
"Unbelievable."